Underrated game: Vandal Hearts (PS1)

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Vandal hearts for the Playstation 1 is in my opinion a game the gets little to no light. It is a strategy RPG about a group of men working to keep the peace in a small kingdom. However, after some dirty dealings and acts of brutality, kinship is sometimes best questioned.

The game’s protagonist, Ash Lambert, is the son of a traitor who pledges loyalty at all means to the crown. This causes him to be sucked into both myth and reality when he is faced with a power-hungry dictator and a magical sword. I don’t want to spoil too much but the game play is similar to Final fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre ( Both for PS1) and has an interesting branching path for job classes depending on which character you are using. Balancing magic with offense and healing is both tricky and rewarding. Certain job classes are stronger against others or can do 2X damage. So don’t put you eggs in one basket! There are some optional things you can do such as searching the battle field for hidden items and unlocking the ultimate class vandalier. This game’s story is amazing and sucks you in — before you know it, you’re 15 hours in and have to be to work in a few hours. The only bad thing is getting this game today will set you back almost 100 bucks used. If you can get it for a fair price, it is an instant classic!